Blog

Latest posts...

Berry....on the south coast of NSW is famous for it's Camellias and having recently moved to the area, I was pretty excited about this upcoming event.....

It's a serious event and there are judges.... say hi to Jim one of the judges that gave me the lowdown on what they look for.

There are trophies and of course, no show would be complete without....

The gorgeous ladies that prepare and make the cups of tea, soup and sandwiches....

When I first strolled in, I was overwhelmed by the amount of stunning blooms on display....

Thank goodness Jim helped me spot why certain blooms received 1st prize, I'm sure if I was one of the judges..... all of them would have won!

Total strangers will turn to you and exclaim in delight at the one that caught their eye, you strike up conversations discussing the merits of your favourite cultivar. You overhear whispering about why that certain Camellia should not have got 2nd prize.....or my favourite....three serious Camellia experts standing next to me debating (whispering) whether a a variety had the correct name on it's tag.

It's a serious business this Camellia competition.

Some are displayed beautifully in bowls and dishes.....

So what do judges look for......

I will only go through some of the basics, as it's quite a complicated affair.

There are categories.....these are just a few...

Stamens must be uniform, uninterrupted and not have any missing.... ie those pesky bees having a nibble.

The exhibitor must place the bloom so it faces the judges squarely.....PICK ME PLEASE!

Formal doubles should not have stamens visible.

Large outer petals can undulate and lay flat on this Elegans form.

When it all comes down to it....how much pleasure do these blooms give to the growers, the people who admire the blooms and of course the judges.

Here are just some of my faves.......

Now that I have some of the basics on the "how to" exhibit blooms......look out!